Phoenix Suns' Shaquille O'Neal on top form against LA Lakers

Phoenix Suns 118 Bryant's LA Lakers 111

Former colleagues Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant - now reconciled after patching up their differences at the recent All-Stars game - were both in superb form when their clubs met at the weekend.

O'Neal added seven rebounds for the Suns who won despite playing without Canadian MVP Steve Nash, who missed his third consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. O'Neal also had a 45 point performance against Toronto on Friday, so last night recorded back to back 30 point games for the firrst time in five years.

"I have been doing the same thing since 1992," said O'Neal, who turns 37 on Friday. "The only time I don't play well is when I am injured. This is what I do."

Lakers' Bryant finished with a massvie 49 points - his 96th career performance with at least 40 - but even he couldn't rescue a middling lakers performance.

Suns' Matt Barnes scored seven straight points, including a back-breaking three-pointer, in the final two and a half minutes of play. The Suns were a slim lead late in the fourth quarter when Barnes drew a foul and buried a pair of free throws, extending the lead to 109-103.

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Derek Fisher misfired on the other end and Luke Walton fumbled away the offensive board, giving the Suns another shot to give themselves some breathing room. Barnes pulled up from long range and buried it, pushing the lead to nine with time running out.

For all of Bryant's heroics, the reigning MVP couldn't bring his club back in this one as they stumbled to a rare two-game losing streak. It was also retribution for a loss last Thursday, when the Lakers were at their very best in an easy, 132-106 triumph over Phoenix at the Staples Center.

The Suns remain two games in the loss column out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. Pau Gasol added 30 points for the Lakers, but he and Bryant were the only Lakers to reach double figures in scoring. Lamar Odom managed just four points and six rebounds before fouling out.